Portable traffic sign



March 25, 1952 c. M. CARTER PORTABLE TRAFFIC SIGN Filed Sept. 7, 1949 Patented Mar. 25, 1952 NI TED S PATENT OFFICE jBQIiT ABLE TRAFFIC SIGN Gerald Mficarter, Ocala, 'Fla. nine-apn- Sep embe 1.1 4 Ser a -N ,1 a

- sign.

Furthermore, it is an objectof the invention to provide asign including a base mounted for rotation to allow the same to serve as a wheel, together with a sign carrying standard associated with'the base, said standard'having'endwise movement independently of the base, said standard when moved lengthwise in one direction allowing the base to rotate independently of the standard but when moved in the opposite direction locking the base against such independent rotation.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved portable trafllc sign whereby certain advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a viewin side elevation of the sign as herein comprised and in position for transportation or shifting;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through Figure 1 with parts in elevation;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, B denotes a circular base member of desired weight and diameter and which has its bottom face I flat and in a plane at right angle to the axis of the base.

Bolted, as at 2, or otherwise securely held to the top face of the base B at the axial center thereof, is a collar 3, into which threads, or is otherwise secured, the lower end portions of a tubular column 4 of predetermined length. Threaded, or otherwise held, upon the upper or end portion of the column 4, is a surrounding collar 5 which constitutes a stop element as will hereinafter be pointed out.

The upper or outer end of the bore 6 of the column 4 is open and telescoping the column 4 through said open'end is a standard I rovided at its outer extremity with a rectangular skeleton frame F of desired size and whichextends equidistantly in opposite directions beyond thestandard I.

' Positioned withinthe field of the frame F is at It, to diametrically opposed portions of an annular member I! freely surrounding the col- 'umn 4. The bore 6 of the annular member I1 is of a diameter less than the major diameter of the collar 5 whereby the outward movement of the standard I is limited by contact of the member I! with the stop collar 5. The extent of this outward movement of the standard 1 is determined by the distance the member I! is spaced below or inwardly from the member H of the frame F.

The inner or lower end portion of the bore 6 of the column 4 is intersected by pin or bolt H! which is adapted to be received within a kerf or slot 2|] disposed across the inserted end of the standard I so that the standard I will be locked against rotation independently of the column 4. However, upon outward endwise movement of the standard 1 the same may be freed from its locked position with respect to the pin or bolt 59 whereuponthe base B, when the device is tilted as shown in Figure 1, will serve as a wheel to permit the device to be easily and readily transported or shifted from one location to another.

The present device is of a type to be employed in regulation of trafiic and particularly by members of a school patrol. While the base B permits convenient moving of the device, it is also to be noted that when the device is uprighted the standard 1 will drop by gravity into locked engagement with the pin or bolt I9 so that the standard 1 will not be turned accidently and especially by passing trafiic with a resultant displacement of the panel 8.

I claim:

1. A signal device comprising a circular base, a tubular column carried by the base at substantially the axial center thereof, a standard telescopically engaged with the column and having endwise movement independently of the column, means for limiting outward movement of the standard relative to the column, a signal unit carried by the outer extremity of the standard, said standard moving by gravity inwardly of the column when the column is placed in upright position, and means for locking the column and standard against rotation one with respect to the other after the upright has been moved inwardly of the column, outward movement of the standard with respect to the column releasing the locking means for free rotation of the base as a wheel for shifting the device.

2. A signal device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the column is tubular and the standard extends inwardly of the column, the locking means comprising a pin carried by the column and disposed across the inner end-of the standard, the inserted end of the standard having a kerf to receive the pinupon inward movement of the standard.

3. A signal structure comprising a circular base, a tubular column secured thereto and extending upwardly from the center thereof,-a collar encircling the top end of the column, a standard slidably extended into the column, a signal unit carried upon the standard, an annular member encircling the column below said collar for free turning movement therearound, the annular member having an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of said collar and having movement toward the top end of the column limited by the collar, means coupling the annular member with the sign unit by which the member and unit move together, and means for locking the column and standard against relative turning, said locking means being operative when the standard is extended a predetermined distance into the column and inoperative when the standard is moved outward to the extent limited by the annular member.

4. A signal structure of the character described in claim 3, wherein the said signal unit includesa rectangular frame having one side disposed horizontally across the top end of the standard and secured thereto and the said means coupling the annular member with the sign unit comprising an inverted substantially U-shaped yoke straddling the said horizontal side of the frame and extending downwardly across opposite sides of said collar and secured to opposite sides of the annular member.

5. A signal structure of the character stated in claim 3, wherein the said locking means comprises a pin extending transversely through the lower end of the collar and slots formed in the lower end of the standard for receiving the pin when the standard is lowered in the column.

GERALD M. CARTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,779,582 Blesso Oct. 28, 1930 1,804,770 Hershfield May 12, 1931 

